Study Points To Need For More Affordable Housing In Washtenaw County

A report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition says Washtenaw County renters pay more than renters in any other Michigan county toward their housing.

Credit nlihc.org

The "2014 Out of Reach" report says the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the county is around $740, while a typical full-time worker can only afford to spend $665 a month toward rent without forking over more than 30 percent of their income.

"When you have wages that are low, and a low minimum wage like we have now, that all contributes to what people can afford," McCabe said. "Finding jobs that pay enough to cover the cost of rent in Ann Arbor is very hard."

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Avalon Housing Executive Director Carole McCabe says a renter should only be paying so much of their income toward housing.

McCabe said rental rates in Washtenaw County are market-driven. She said there's a huge demand for additional affordable housing in the area.